Blake Edwards is best known for his comedies, but the Oscar-nominated director dipped his toes into a number of different genres throughout his career, including thrillers, musicals and westerns. Let’s take a look back at 15 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in 1922, Edwards got his start as an actor before becoming a writer for movies and television. He rose to prominence after creating the TV show “Peter Gunn,” which starred Craig Stevens as a super-stylish detective. The series brought Edwards Emmy nominations for writing and directing in 1959.
He enjoyed his greatest big screen successes with the “Pink Panther” series, featuring Peter Sellers as bumbling French detective Inspector Jacques Clouseau. The films established Edwards as a master of physical comedy and sight gags, which his leading man was more than capable of delivering. The two completed five “Panther” films before Sellers’s death in 1980: “The Pink Panther” (1963), “A Shot in the Dark” (1964), “The Return of the Pink Panther” (1975), “The Pink Panther Strikes Back” (1976) and “Revenge of the Pink Panther” (1978). Edwards tried to return to the well three more times (including 1982’s “The Trail of the Pink Panther” featuring unused footage of the deceased star) to lesser results.
Edwards was married to Julie Andrews, who he would direct to a Best Actress Oscar nomination in the musical comedy “Victor/Victoria” (1982). That film brought him his sole Academy Award bid in Best Adapted Screenplay. Though he never won a competitive prize, he did receive an Honorary award in 2004, famously presented to him by Jim Carrey.
Edwards earned a Golden Globe bid for directing the addiction drama “Days of Wine and Roses” (1962) and a DGA bid for the romantic comedy “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961). He received WGA prizes for “The Pink Panther Strikes Again” and “Victor/Victoria,” competing again for penning “Operation Mad Ball” (1957), “The Notorious Landlady” (1962), “The Pink Panther,” “The Return of the Pink Panther,” “10” (1979) and “S.O.B.” (1981).
Tour our photo gallery of Edwards’s 15 greatest films, including some of the titles listed above, as well as “Operation Petticoat” (1959), “The Great Race” (1965), “The Party” (1968) and more.
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15. DARLING LILI (1970)
Image Credit: Paramount/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Directed by Blake Edwards. Screenplay by Blake Edwards and William Peter Blatty. Starring Julie Andrews, Rock Hudson, Gloria Paul, Jeremy Kemp, Lance Percival, Jacques Marin, Michael Witney.
This WWI musical epic was a huge flop when it hit theaters, making back just $5 million of it’s $25 million budget. Perhaps viewers were shocked to see Julie Andrews — who had married Edwards the year before — subvert her pristine image playing a German spy posing as a British showgirl. She uses her powers of persuasion to gain information from an American pilot (Rock Hudson), but soon realizes she actually loves the guy. Edwards keeps things decidedly tongue-in-cheek, making for a delightful romp that’s better than it’s reputation. The film earned Oscar nominations for its costume design, score and the song “Whistling Away the Dark.”
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14. WILD ROVERS (1971)
Image Credit: Mgm/Kobal/Shutterstock Written and directed by Blake Edwards. Starring William Holden, Ryan O’Neal, Karl Malden, Joe Don Baker, Tom Skerritt, Lynn Carlin, Rachel Roberts.
Edwards envisioned “Wild Rovers” as a three hour epic to stand alongside the all time great westerns. When MGM slashed 40 minutes from it without his knowledge, he completely disowned the finished product. While we can only imagine what the original cut would’ve been like, what we’re left with is a highly entertaining cowboy flick. William Holden and Ryan O’Neal star as a pair of hapless ranch hands who decide to rob a bank on a whim. Their moralistic former boss (Karl Malden) sends his two sons out to bring them back dead or alive. The cinematography by Philip H. Lathrop, shot on location in Monument Valley, is breathtaking.
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13. MICKI + MAUDE (1984)
Image Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock Directed by Blake Edwards. Written by Jonathan Reynolds. Starring Dudley Moore, Amy Irving, Ann Reinking, Richard Mulligan, George Gaynes, Wallace Shawn.
Edwards reunited with “10” star Dudley Moore for another delightful screwball farce about a television reporter married to a lawyer (Ann Reinking) who doesn’t want to have kids. He falls in love with a beautiful cellist (Amy Irving) who wants to start a family, and he gets her pregnant at the same time his wife becomes expectant. Madly in love with both women, he decides the only decent thing to do is become a bigamist, which has hilarious results. Though a box office bomb, the Golden Globes did reward “Micki + Maude” with a nomination in Best Comedy/Musical Film and gifted Moore their Best Comedy/Musical Actor prize.
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12. S.O.B. (1981)
Image Credit: Paramount/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Written and directed by Blake Edwards. Starring Julie Andrews, William Holden, Richard Mulligan, Robert Preston, Larry Hagman, Robert Webber.
One of Edwards’s most divisive films, “S.O.B.” brought him a Golden Globe bid for Best Comedy/Musical Film, a WGA nom AND Razzie nominations for writing and directing. It’s a savage takedown of the Hollywood studio system that had knocked him around more than a few times. Richard Mulligan stars as a successful producer whose latest movie is a major flop. He decides to revamp the box office disaster by turning it into soft-core pornography, convincing its star — who also happens to be his wife (played by Edwards’s own spouse, Julie Andrews) — to appear topless. William Holden gives his final performance as the director.
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11. THE GREAT RACE (1965)
Image Credit: Warner Bros/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Directed by Blake Edwards. Screenplay by Arthur A. Ross, story by Blake Edwards and Ross. Starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood, Peter Falk, Keenan Wynn, Arthur O’Connell, Vivian Vance.
A farce of epic proportions, “The Great Race” centers on a 22,000 mile competition between the heroic Leslie Gallant III (Tony Curtis) and the villainous Professor Fate (Jack Lemmon) in the early 20th century. Natalie Wood costars as a photojournalist racing herself in a car owned by New York City’s biggest newspaper, while Peter Falk shows up as Lemmon’s goofy assistant. Edwards keeps the gags coming in fast throughout the 160 minute runtime, culminating in the longest pie fight ever filmed. The Academy rewarded it with nominations for cinematography, sound, film editing and song (“The Sweetheart Tree”), plus a victory for sound effects.
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10. EXPERIMENT IN TERROR (1962)
Image Credit: Columbia/Kobal/Shutterstock Directed by Blake Edwards. Written by Mildred Gordon and Gordon Gordon, based on their novel ‘Operation Terror.’ Starring Glenn Ford, Lee Remick, Stefanie Powers, Ross Martin.
Though best known for his comedies, Edwards dipped his toes in more dramatic genres from time-to-time. “Experiment in Terror” is one of his best serious efforts, an expertly-made noir thriller that keeps us on the edge of our seat throughout. Lee Remick stars as a bank clerk coerced into stealing $100,000 from a criminal after he threatens her and her sister. She enlists a straight-laced FBI agent (Glenn Ford) to help track the madman down, which is especially difficult considering she doesn’t know what he looks like. All he’s got to go on is a distinctly asthmatic voice (provided by Ross Martin, who earned a Golden Globe bid for the role).
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9. THE PARTY (1968)
Image Credit: United Artists/Kobal/Shutterstock Directed by Blake Edwards. Screenplay by Blake Edwards, Tom Waldman and Frank Waldman, story by Edwards. Starring Peter Sellers, Claudine Longet, Marge Champion, Denny Miller, Gavin MacLeod, Steve Franken, Carol Wayne.
In their only non-“Pink Panther” collaboration, Edwards and Peter Sellers team up for a wickedly hilarious fish out of water farce. In “The Party,” Sellers plays Hrundi V. Bakshi, a bumbling Indian actor mistakenly invited to a posh Hollywood shindig. Chaos ensues, with Hrundi causing mayhem in increasingly destructive ways. While the physical comedy is side-splitting, many of the funniest moments come from the cultural clashes the character experiences with the Western world. Claudine Longet costars as the love interest, while Gavin MacLeod plays the bombastic movie producer trying to get rid of his unwanted guest.
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8. THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN (1976)
Image Credit: United Artists/Kobal/Shutterstock Directed by Blake Edwards. Written by Frank Waldman and Blake Edwards. Starring Peter Selles, Herbert Lom, Lesley-Anne Down, Burt Kwouk, Leonard Rossiter.
The “Pink Panther” series veers wildly in quality, from the highs of “A Shot in the Dark” to the abysmal lows of “Trail of the Pink Panther,” pieced together from unused footage after Peter Sellers’s death. The fifth entry, “The Pink Panther Strikes Again,” is one of the very best. The many antics of Inspector Clouseau (Sellers) have finally driven his boss, Inspector Dreyfus (Herbert Lom), into the looney bin. Dreyfus breaks out and threatens the world with nuclear annihilation if someone doesn’t assassinate Clouseau. Edwards won a WGA prize for Best Adapted Comedy, while the film competed at the Oscars for the original song “Come to Me.”
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7. OPERATION PETTICOAT (1959)
Image Credit: Universal/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Directed by Blake Edwards. Screenplay by Stanley J. Shapiro and Maurice Richlin, story Paul King and Joseph B. Stone. Starring Cary Grant, Tony Curtis, Joan O’Brien, Dina Merrill, Gene Evans, Dick Sargent, Arthur O’Connell.
Set sail for high seas hilarity and fun with this WWII farce, Edwards’s first major studio effort. Taking place in the days following Pearl Harbor, “Operation Petticoat” centers on a Navy commander (Cary Grant) who finds himself in charge of a dilapidated pink submarine. To make matters worse, he’s straddled with an inexperienced lieutenant (Tony Curtis) who’s also a bit of a grifter and five beautiful nurses who distract the crew. Needless to say, high jinks ensue. Edwards directs with his usual light touch and eye for visual gags, while Grant and Curtis prove a winning comedic team. An Oscar nominee for its original screenplay.
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6. 10 (1979)
Image Credit: Bruce McBroom/Orion/Warner Bros/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Written and directed by Blake Edwards. Starring Dudley Moore, Julie Andrews, Bo Derek, Robert Webber, Dee Wallace, Sam J. Jones, Brian Dennehy.
If nothing else, “10” would go down in cinema history for giving us the iconic image of a swimsuit-clad Bo Derek running down a beach in slow-motion. But Edwards’s witty and raunchy comedy has many delightful pleasures. Dudley Moore stars as a successful Hollywood composer whose midlife crisis causes him to fall madly in love with a young married woman (Derek), who on a scale of 1-to-10 is an 11. Julie Andrews costars as his long-suffering actress mistress. Henry Mancini earned Oscar nominations for his score and original song (“It’s Easy to Say”). Edwards competed at the WGA for his script, but was snubbed by the Academy.
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5. DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES (1962)
Image Credit: Snap/REX/Shutterstock Directed by Blake Edwards. Screenplay by JP Miller, based on his teleplay. Starring Jack Lemmon, Lee Remick, Charles Bickford, Jack Klugman, Alan Hewitt.
Having firmly established himself as a premiere director of comedies, Edwards showed off his serious side with this searing addiction drama. “Days of Wine and Roses” centers on an alcoholic public relations executive (Jack Lemmon, also brushing off his comedic image) who marries his secretary (Lee Remick). Slowly but surely, he gets her hooked on booze as well. But when he decides to get sober, she dives deeper into drunken despair. Both Lemmon and Remick earned lead acting Oscar nominations, and the film won for its original title song. Edwards contended at the Golden Globes for directing, but was snubbed by the Academy.
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4. VICTOR/VICTORIA (1982)
Image Credit: Snap Stills/REX/Shutterstock Directed by Blake Edwards. Screenplay by Blake Edwards, story by Hans Hoemburg, based on the script by Reinhold Schunzel. Starring Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston, Lesley Ann Warren, Alex Karras.
With “Victor/Victoria,” Edwards provides his wife, Julie Andrews, with a real barnburner of a role. She plays Victoria, a struggling singer in 1930s Germany who gains great success by playing a male female impersonator. Things get complicated when a Chicago nightclub owner (James Garner) falls in love with her. Everything clicks here, from the period costumes and sets to the Oscar-winning song score. The performances are aces as well, including Robert Preston as Andrew’s gay best friend and Leslie Ann Warren as Garner’s ditzy girlfriend. Edwards earned his sole Oscar nomination for his adapted screenplay, which also brought him a WGA prize. The film earned six additional bids, including Andrews, Preston and Warren in acting.
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3. THE PINK PANTHER (1963)
Image Credit: United Artists/Kobal/Shutterstock Directed by Blake Edwards. Written by Maurice Richlin and Blake Edwards. Starring David Niven, Peter Sellers, Robert Wagner, Capucine, Claudia Cardinale.
“The Pink Panther” introduced audiences to the bumbling Inspector Jacques Clouseau (as well as the cartoon character of the same name), kicking off one of the most successful comedy franchises in history. Peter Sellers throws himself head-first into the role of the woefully inept French detective, who travels to Rome to track down a notorious jewel thief known as “The Phantom” (a debonaire David Niven), there to steal a priceless gem from an Italian princess (Claudia Cardinale). Unbeknownst to Clouseau, his wife (Capucine) is also The Phantom’s lover, tipping him off whenever her husband is near. Edwards earned a WGA nomination for his script, while the film competed at the Oscars for Henry Mancini’s iconic score.
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2. BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S (1961)
Image Credit: Paramount/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Directed by Blake Edwards. Screenplay by George Axelrod, based on the novella by Truman Capote. Starring Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen, Martin Balsam, Mickey Rooney.
Audrey Hepburn became a hero to teenage girls everywhere as Holly Golightly, a New York City socialite with impeccable fashion sense and a penchant for wild parties. Although she hopes to marry a rich man, she falls in love with a struggling writer (George Peppard) who lives in her building. Even if you haven’t seen the film (adapted from Truman Capote’s novella), you’ve seen the iconic image of Hepburn clad in a black gown and gloves, accessorized with a tiara and lengthy cigarette holder. It more than makes up for Mickey Rooney’s offensively cartoonish performance as Holly’s neighbor, Mr. Yunioshi. Henry Mancini earned Oscars for his score and song “Moon River,” while Hepburn competed in Best Actress. Edwards contended at the DGA.
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1. A SHOT IN THE DARK (1964)
Image Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock Directed by Blake Edwards. Screenplay by Blake Edwards and William Peter Blatter, based on the plays ‘L’Idiote’ by Marcel Archard and ‘A Shot in the Dark’ by Harry Kurnitz. Starring Peter Sellers, Elke Sommer, George Sanders, Herbert Lom, Tracy Reed.
Not only is “A Shot in the Dark” the best of the “Pink Panther” movies, it’s one of the funniest comedies ever made, period. Peter Sellers returns as fumbling Inspector Jacques Clouseau, investigating the murder of a chauffeur employed by millionaire Benjamin Ballon (a wonderfully droll George Sanders). Though all signs point to the beautiful maid Maria Gambrelli (Elke Sommer), Clouseau believes she’s innocent. Herbert Lom shows up for the first time as the exasperated Commissioner Dreyfus, who wants to stop the bumbling detective’s antics before they drive him crazy. A madcap farce that doesn’t let up for a moment, with one hilarious gag after another expertly handled by the dynamic duo of Edwards and Sellers.
